News & Events Over There: Romagne ’14-’18 Update

For visitors to the Meuse-Argonne Jean-Paul de Vries’ Romagne ’14-’18 Museum is a well-known institution and often a must-visit location. The Webmaster has always assumed that the museum was a highly profitable institution, as it generated revenues from 1) museum entrance fees, 2) lunches, 3) hikes and tours and 4) the sale of rusty bits. However, a recent discussion with Jean-Paul suggests that Romagne ’14-’18 is far less profitable than one would think for several reasons. In fact, Jean-Paul is currently asking for donations to Continue reading →

News & Events–Over There: Deadline to Join the Reconstruction / Occupation Tour is 30 April. Sign up Today!

    Only two weeks remain (30 April) to sign up for the 1918-19 Reconstruction / Occupation of Germany Tour!  Readers who are interested in participating should reserve a space today by contacting Webmaster Randal Gaulke.         Tour guides Randal Gaulke and Markus Klauer hope to give participants a glimpse of France (or at least the Meuse-Argonne and St. Mihiel Regions) immediately post-war using maps, photos and documents such as the postcards of Avocourt shown in this blog post.  The second half Continue reading →

Thinking of Touring Europe this Year? Join Either our Reconstruction / Occupation Tour or the Battle of the Bulge Tour

  Space is still available for the two tours that historians Randy Gaulke and Markus Klauer are offering:  In mid-September there is the 1918-19 Reconstruction / Occupation of Germany Tour and in early October there is the Ardennes 75th Anniversary Battle of the Bulge Tour.   The Reconstruction / Occupation tour is designed to focus less on the fighting in the Meuse-Argonne and St. Mihiel regions and more on the post-war reconstruction.  It will also focus on the American Third Army’s occupation of Germany; which Continue reading →

News & Events: Ardennes 1944–Battle of the Bulge 75th Anniversary Small-Group Tour Update

  After a recent recon by tour guide Markus Klauer, Randy and Markus have selected L’Hostellerie du Château de Rendeux in Rendeux, Belgium as the tour’s home base.  Built in the 17th century, this château has experienced the eras of Louis XIV and Napoleon and it has survived both world wars.  Your tour guides believe it will offer clients a tranquil location to relax and unwind after a busy day of touring.  The Château is situated in a beautiful park setting just off the Rue Continue reading →

Hitler’s Final Gamble in the Ardennes: A Focus on Battle of the Bulge Tour Guides, Markus Klauer and Randy Gaulke

    To Americans, Markus Klauer and Randy Gaulke are quite well know for their WW1 battlefield tour expertise; but can they transition this to a WW2 battlefield tour, such as the 75th Anniversary Battle of the Bulge Tour they are offering in October?  Yes!   Markus Klauer is much better known to Europeans than to Americans.  He has been studying military history and leading battlefield tours for over three decades.  Regarding WW2 specifically, he has been studying and leading tours of the battles from Continue reading →

News & Events–Over There: Space Still Available on 1918-19 Meuse-Argonne Reconstruction / Occupation of Germany Tour

Spaces are still available for the 1918-19 Reconstruction / Occupation of Germany Tour that Markus Klauer and Randy Gaulke are offering in late September, 2019.   We have mentioned before that the Moselle River Valley is one of the most beautiful areas of Germany, in our opinion.  Webmaster Randy Gaulke’s family vacationed there in 2016 and he has taken several clients to the region in 2017-18.  This post shows a few photos from the Facebook Page of Weinhaus Fries, one of the hotels that the Continue reading →

News & Events–Over There: Ardennes 1944: 75 Anniversary “Battle of the Bulge” Tour, 2-6 October

Randal Gaulke and German historian, Markus Klauer, are proud to announce the details of their Ardennes 1944:  75th Anniversary “Battle of the Bulge” Small Group Battlefield Tour, 2 – 6 October 2019.     The War seemed to be close to an end, but then Hitler’s last major offensive on the Western Front took the Allies by surprise … Hitler had decided to put all his eggs in one basket to defeat the Allies with one great push, the operation “Wacht am Rhein”. Starting on December Continue reading →

News & Events–Over There: The Allied Terms of the Armistice

    As the Centennial of the Armistice approaches, it is fitting to spend a little time reviewing and understanding the thirty-five terms of the Armistice.  After millions of deaths and the destruction of hundreds of miles of French and Belgian territory, Marshall Foch and other Allied leaders dictated the terms with no room for German negotiation.  The German representatives received the terms on 8 November and reluctantly signed the terms at 05h00 on 11 November.  The Armistice went into effect at 11h00 on 11 Continue reading →

News & Events–Over There: August 20 Update on Harry Rupert and Chatel-Chehery Photo Exhibition

  The photo exhibition (about 150 photos) on the grounds of the Chateau in Chatel-Chehery is open for visitation during the times listed above.  However, the tent–which includes a slide show of several hundred additional photos–is closed for an indefinite period.  Harry Rupert has spent months planning this exhibition, so please support him by visiting it!   As reported in late July, Harry suffered a major health issue.  He is home and is recovering; but he still has very little energy and his recovery is Continue reading →

News & Events–Over There: Still Space Available on Meuse-Argonne.com Events this Fall

  Readers who do not yet have firm plans for Centennial Celebrations in France might like to know that there is still space available in certain Meuse-Argonne.com events this fall.  Specifically:   Small-Group Battlefield Walk Series, 20 – 27 Sept.  (Click on Title for Link to Details.) Three days still have openings: Tuesday, 25 Sept., Meuse-Argonne V Corps Wednesday, 26 Sept., Meuse-Argonne III Corps Thursday, 27 Sept., Meuse-Argonne Heights East of Meuse The tour is designed with flexibility so participants can select only the morning Continue reading →